Hi again. Welcome back. Ok, so between now (Four thirty pm) and ten o'clock last night, I've gotten 27 visits and 36 hits. What the hell are those anyway? Hits, I mean. Gah. Please enjoy.
Chapter 4
Before anyone could say anything, I teleported to Gordon's house. I was in her room, which -for once- was tidy and neat. I took a step forward and nearly tripped over a nail on the floorboards. I cursed.
"Who's there?" someone called from the doorway. I saw a middle-ages hand stick through the doorway, and then a leg. Half of the torso. The rest. I stared in awe at the man with a heavy coat, a t-shirt, and trousers.
"Who are you?" i asked the man.
"You first." i challenged.
"Why?"
"This is my house. Well, not soon, though." I broke into a grin. The man had a thick Dublin accent. He was a bit shorter than me, perhaps Val's height, and so far, looked nice.
"Gordon Edgley. Pleasure. I'm Fletcher Renn."
"First- I'm Gordon's Echo Stone projection. Aahhh- I've heard much about you, The Boy with the Weird Hair. Welcome. I assume that Valkyrie sent you." Gordon assumed.
"Not really. I've come for advice." i explained.
"Yes, before you ask any questions, where is my Steph- Valkyrie anyway?" Gordon pondered. I swallowed, before answering.
"China Sorrows put a binding spell on my apartment, because she blamed me for something i didn't do. I horde of werewolves arrived at my apartment last night, demanding money. Ferrus Darkshone was amongst them. They took Valkyrie. If I don't get the half a million dollars within three days, then I'm never going to see her again."
Gordon collapsed in heap on the floor.
"You... You'll get her back, right? What did you need the money for, anyway?" he managed after a few minutes.
"Sure I'll look after her. I needed the money for… Something." I told him. I guess that I left out that it was for the ring that I was going to give her when I asked her to marry me. He stopped shaking, and slowly stood up. He took an unnecessary breath, and shook his shoulders.
"OK. What can I do for you, Fletcher?" Echo- Gordon asked.
"Well, is there any-err- conscience so to speak, that I can see, that has Valkyrie's thoughts in it? Like, so I could ask her on what i should do." i replied. Echo-Gordon thought for a minute, and then his face lit up.
"Valkyrie has a reflection. If that doesn't work, then I have something extra. That will help for sure. Oh. Her reflection should be at her house by now. If not, then you'll have to wait it out." he advised. I smiled.
"Thank you, Gordon. I might be meeting you again soon." I waved. Gordon bowed his head, and disappeared. I took a deep breath and teleported to Valkyrie's room. Her Reflection was sitting on her bed, doing her homework.
"Dammit. Can't even scare the reflection." I muttered. The Reflection looked up at me.
"Hello." I said to it. It smiled at me, closing its book.
"Hi, Fletcher. Where is Valkyrie?" it demanded.
"Taken. I'm here to ask you if you have anything that can help me find her. Any suggestions for how I can get the money to get her back." I reasoned. It smiled.
"I will, but you have to do something for Me." it implied. I felt my insides go cold. I cautiously continued. "What?"
"Kiss me." I backed up, and it stalked forward, licking its lips.
"No. No way in hell." I exclaimed, teleporting back to Gordon's house just as The Reflection lunged. I fell to Valkyrie's floor, breathing heavily. Echo- Gordon appeared a second later.
"I took it that it went well?" he quizzed.
"Increasingly. It wanted to kiss me." I shuddered violently.
"Follow me." Echo Gordon requested. I got to my feet, and followed Echo- Gordon out the bedroom door. I followed him down the hall, and into a study of some type. He stood next to a thick, old book. He pointed to it.
"What." i stated.
"Pick it up." Echo-Gordon ordered. I pulled it out, but it only came out halfway. There was a screeching and groaning sound, and the bookcase swung open.
"A secret room?" I verified.
"No. A slaughter house." Echo-Gordon sarcastically sneered. He walked in, mumbling, "Daft young child." I trailed behind. As soon as I stepped in, the light turned on. Inside, were artifacts and things that China would love to have.
On a cluttered desk, was a golden casket that held a dark blue stone. I recognized it as an Echo Stone. Valkyrie told me about these. Echo- Gordon pointed to a black box. I picked it up.
"I have a funny feeling that you left Skulduggery on a couch somewhere, while you tried to figure this out. You don't want him waiting. You'll make him go loony. Open the box when you get back. Now, shoo." Echo- Gordon told me. I smiled.
"Thanks." I teleported back to my seat at the apartment. Before anyone could yell at me for me stupid, I shoved the box on the table. They stared at it.
"Who gave this to you?" Skulduggery requested, picking the box up, and tearing off the lid. He looked at the remnants inside.
"Echo Stone Gordon Edgley." I announced." I didn't know Val was that smart." i continued. Skulduggery nodded, and pulled out a black echo stone. He rested it on the table, and pressed the top.
An image of Valkyrie Cain shimmered next to me. While we all stared, she smiled.
"Hello. Fancy that. Where's Val?" Echo- Valkyrie raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.